________________
The
Birth
of
Karna
1 RITHA was her earlier name. She was the daughter of Sura, the grand-father of Sri Krishna. She was renamed Kunti when she was adopted by Sura's cousin, Kuntibhoja, who had been childless.
Kunti, naturally, became everybody's favourite. But she remained unspoilt because of her innate poise and dignity. Her only response to the doting of those around her was just a condescending smile suggesting that she was not a doll. She was, however, very sweet and pretty and her elders would treat her indulgently ignoring her superior airs. Her foster-father was particularly fond of her; in fact she was his eyes, ears, heart and he could not do without her even for a single moment. So, at ten, she had almost a motherly maturity of mind and tender ness of heart, preserving, of course, the essential innocence of her age. She would, for instance, accompany Kuntibhoja on his hunting expeditions. But as his men were about to hunt the dumb, defenceless deer, she would intercept them saying sternly: "No, you can kill them only after killing me." "The jungle
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